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System and method for collecting and disseminating human-observable dataRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Computers And Digital Processing Systems: Multicomputer Data Transferring, Distributed Data Processing, Processing AgentSystem and method for collecting and disseminating human-observable data description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060167971, System and method for collecting and disseminating human-observable data. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application clams the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/640,344 filed Dec. 30, 2004, which application is incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention is directed to a system and method for collecting data from a plurality of agents and disseminating the data as information to a client. More particularly, the invention is directed to a system and method for collecting data from a network of persons, efficiently connected to a computer through a location-aware wireless communication network, to enable them to perform the duties of sensing agents to collect and deliver to a computer server human-observable data of commercial or public value across a large area. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Data sampling of human activities is used to influence a wide array of commercial, environmental, political, and human affairs. Most data used for such purposes is accessed from databases where the data is acquired by some automatic process, though, some data are also gathered by manual observation. In all cases there is a cost for the collection of these data and it is this cost and complexity that often determines how, or if, such data will be used. There is also the matter of how detailed the data can be with respect to the variables of interest, such as how often and how densely it is sampled, i.e., the granularity in time and space of the sampling. In addition, collection of data where there is no automatic method of collection might require persons to make observations, to report them to a central repository where the data are analyzed, and then to deliver the data to the intended users. [0004] Collecting information by persons from far flung sources through, observations, interviews and non-automated data capture is, generally, a slow, expensive process. Similarly, analysis, presentation and dissemination of such data to users of such information can require a considerable amount of work and, depending upon methods employed, can also be cumbersome and costly. For these reasons, human-observed data collection is not a commonly employed basis for gathering survey data not already available online or in existing files. [0005] There is a wide range of modes and purposes of data collection that could, if practical, utilize human sensing, observation and reporting. A few examples of such information collection are competitive analyses, market surveys, market intelligence, clinical trials, consumer sampling, online auction bid/sale analysis, political polls, security monitoring, environmental surveys, food and public safety monitoring, construction inspection, public dining and entertainment ratings, conditions of public spaces and roads, sampling of wildlife, monitoring of certain media for royalty-bearing and content purposes and, government compliance monitoring, to name a few. [0006] The procedures for human-observable data collection has, for most in the field, been accomplished by such diverse means as telephone surveys, Internet opinion surveys, taking notes in the field, dictating notes into a machine, digital sampling of media, videotaping, telephonic or wired opt-in participatory surveys, as in ACNielsen.RTM. surveys, entry into a hand-held computer or PDA, still camera photos or physical sample collection. [0007] On-line surveys are available on the Internet from firms such as Questionpro and SyncSurvey both of which companies make available market research for clients to set up their own wireless survey programs. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,172 describes a system for monitoring weather phenomena using wireless devices and U.S. patent application 20020103694 describes a system for collecting poll data via wireless communications devices, which descriptions of the wireless devices are incorporated by reference herein. [0009] However, the costs for data collection are currently so high that only organizations with very important reasons and large budgets where the outcome is important, can afford to commission and pay for such human-observable data surveys. Moreover, the time that it takes for data collection and the efforts to acquire the data relegate such data collection to one-time, seldom-conducted or high-value survey objectives. In those cases, where the nature of the data changes rapidly, the one-instance collection either has little meaning or the relevant periodic data collection is not practical. Consequently, the user is prevented from obtaining the desired data and the benefits of its consequential analysis. [0010] The cost for such analyses is usually so high that the users have correspondingly high expectations for the nature of the reports summarizing these studies. A large industry has evolved to deliver such studies, exemplified by well-established companies such as Booz Allen Hamilton, McKinsey & Company and Accenture, to name a few. They deliver large, expensive, albeit comprehensive reports by virtue of the industry-standard complex procedures for data collection and analysis and the concomitant costs. This standard of data collection and analysis effectively shuts out smaller clients less able to afford such services. [0011] Often, the research conducted is not sufficiently timely or the sampling is inappropriate for making certain organization-critical decisions. In addition, the costs to achieve these goals may be too high to achieve these goals. [0012] It would be desirable to have a system that is not subject to these limitations. Such a system might allow for variable density sampling and frequent periodic sampling, which might make possible iterative market research by obtaining immediate responses to offerings, having time to make fine-tuning changes in the products, and ability-to obtain instant market re-sampling, all with sufficient response time and resolution in time and place, in a manner that might be considered dynamic, rather than static or after the fact. [0013] Furthermore in such a system, data collection could even be conducted with sufficiently dense sampling or, in the time domain, over sufficiently short time intervals, or be conducted regularly at a data granularity that satisfies many market needs previously unmet. For example, if the data were analyzed with sufficient density in time or space allowing analysis of the rate of change, i.e., the first or second derivative of the variables, results might provide fundamentally greater significance to the users, hence, better results for the market as a whole. [0014] Because of the limitations of human-observed market research, whether it be used for commercial benefit or for governmental, medical, environmental or other such widely-applicable surveys, there is a need for a more efficient system and method for conducting human-observable data sampling and reporting than those presently available in the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0015] The present invention overcomes these disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system and method for collecting data from a plurality of agents and disseminating the data as information to a client. [0016] The system includes a computer server having software for accepting requests received via Internet browser-based interfaces from the client to collect the data generated by data-collecting agents and for receiving the data from the agents at a remote source. [0017] Each of the plurality of data collecting agents is equipped with one or more mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA's), other wireless application protocol (WAP) products, e.g., WAP-enabled cellular phones (cell phones), or other wireless communication devices and data collection devices used as subsystems interfaced to the cell phones and networked to the computer server for each of the plurality of agents for downloading instructions to carry out the client's request. The wireless communication devices are also used by the agents to upload the collected data to the computer server. Preferably, the cell phone or other wireless device is equipped with location capability, for example, use of GPS, triangulation of mobile towers or other devices for time, date and location stamp. [0018] An operating means is installed for analyzing and converting the data received from each of the agents by the server into information for disseminating to the client. This operating means includes system software for converting the raw field data from each of the agents into meaningful information in the form of textual material as well as graphics, charts and other visual display of the results of the data collection. The information is compiled into reports for uploading to the Internet, which allows for the reports to be easily accessible by the client. [0019] Briefly the method of the present invention includes the steps of: [0020] (a) receiving from the client a request to collect the data generated by each of the plurality of agents via server interfaces; Continue reading about System and method for collecting and disseminating human-observable data... Full patent description for System and method for collecting and disseminating human-observable data Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this System and method for collecting and disseminating human-observable data patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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